After a dominant promotion run through the TTL Gold League last season, the young prodigy has officially stepped into the big leagues, having just closed out his debut set in the prestigious Platinum division. We are talking about Lewis.

The timing couldn't be better. The fifth season of the T90 Titans League has just started last week. We are looking at weeks of grueling, high-stakes matches that will test whether the "The Goat" can truly defeat long-standing legends.

Who is "The Goat"? While his legal name is Lewis, the community has affectionately dubbed him "The Goat." It reflects his status as one of the youngest and most mechanically improved players within the last few months.

We caught up with Onimaru Esports' player to discuss his transition to Platinum, his initial performance, and his thoughts on how the upcoming DLC balance changes might shake up the meta.

Interview with Lewis

Your first TTL series against ACCM ended 2–1, with you taking one map, but really close matches. Are you satisfied with your performance in the opening series of the league?

Not that satisfied, I was wanting to win the set but taking 1 game is still decent for the group stage format.

Compared to many other professional players, your rise in the scene was relatively quick. The Age of Empires esports scene has grown significantly in recent years. What advice would you give to younger players who hope to follow in your footsteps?

My best advice would be to grind like crazy, believe you can reach the top and analyse every single loss.

Several well-known community figures have suggested that team game tournaments will play a bigger role this year. Do you personally prefer 1v1 or team games, and what makes each format special?

I much prefer 1v1s, way easier for the viewers to follow and if you lose there is nobody to blame but yourself. Team Games can also be fun because "weaker" teams can beat the stronger teams more often as strategy tends to be more important than experience/execution.

You're often criticized for being very direct when sharing your opinions. Some people appreciate it, while others find it disrespectful. How important do you think proper banter is in an esports environment?

Banter is extremely important, keeps the environment fun and that's what matters most, especially in a competitive setting.

The new naval rework and DLC are just a few days away, and TTL has announced that from Week 3 onward, Platinum players will switch to the updated version. What are your thoughts on the upcoming changes and how it will impact the games?

It's a huge impact, Naval rework will make different civs better on the Hybrid/Water maps because of the new Hulk unit. The 3 new civs I'm not too sure yet, at first glance they seem very strong so it will be interesting to see how players go about with the civ bans but we will have to see how they play out.

Thank you again for taking the time for this interview. We wish you the best of luck in your upcoming TTL matches. Do you have any final words for the readers, viewers, or your fans?

Thanks to all the viewers supporting the streams and cheering during tournaments, means a lot 🙂

Make sure to follow our T90 Titans League (TTL) coverage in the upcoming league!